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A whole flourless chocolate vanilla marble cake on a plate with a knife resting on a blue napkin beside it.
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4.80 / 5 votes

Flourless Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake

A flourless chocolate and vanilla marble cake that will serve your gluten-free and Passover needs perfectly as well as your dense, fudgy, cheesecake-y cravings.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 287

Ingredients

For the vanilla batter

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate batter

  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 10 tablespoons (5 oz) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus more for the pan
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum or espresso
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch table salt
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Lightly butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
  • In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until well blended and no lumps remain. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until blended. 
  • In a medium bowl, melt the chocolate and butter in a large metal bowl over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave. Whisk until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. 
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs, sugar, rum or espresso, vanilla, and salt on medium-high until the mixture is pale and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the chocolate mixture and continue beating until well blended.
  • To combine and bake the marble cake, spread about half of the chocolate batter in the bottom of the pan. Alternately add large scoopfuls of each of the remaining batters to the cake pan. Using a knife or the tip of a rubber spatula, gently swirl the 2 batters together so they're mixed but not completely blended. Rap the pan against the countertop several times to settle the batters.
  • Bake the marble cake until a pick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out gooey but not liquid, 40 to 42 minutes; don't over-bake. The top will be puffed and slightly cracked, especially around the edges. It will sink down as it cools. 
  • Let the cake cool on a rack until just slightly warm, about 1 1/2 hours. Loosen it from the pan by holding the pan almost perpendicular to the counter; tap the pan on the counter while rotating it clockwise. Invert the cake onto a large flat plate or board, then remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: To make the cake ahead of time, you can wrap the cooled and unmolded cake in plastic and refrigerate until firm and well chilled. Then slide the cake off the plate and wrap it again in plastic. Freeze for up to a month. To serve, unwrap the cake and set it on a flat plate that's been sprinkled with a little more cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for an hour or two.

  • Sift some cocoa powder over the cake (this will make it easier to remove the slices when serving). Invert the cake again onto a similar plate so that the top side is up and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight, or freeze. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g